Psychology BSc (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
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This distinctive course demonstrates applications of psychology in a global context, providing holistic understanding of psychological explanations and their applications using real life examples (e.g. mental health) across different contexts.

Course option

Year of entry

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years sandwich

UCAS codes

C800

Start date

September 2024
January 2025 - condensed

Available through Clearing


Course overview

The course engages with theory, research and applications of psychological perspectives and methods/techniques in a global context to develop professional levels of transferable, practical and cognitive skills.

This aims to enable graduates to attain the qualities to confidently progress in an international arena.

  • You will develop critical awareness and understanding of core BPS (British Psychological Society) curriculum and specialised and contemporary content using a thematic approach e.g. the darker side of psychology, psychology and popular culture, cyber psychology, mental health and wellbeing, culture, gender and sexuality.
  • The course provides a broad and varied educational experience within which learning occurs, engaging you in experiential learning and a range of international contexts.
  • Equips you with the appropriate methodological and analytical skills to undertake research in the field of psychology whilst adhering to discipline defined ethical standards.
  • The January start for this course is condensed in Year 1. Please see the ‘How you’ll learn’ section below for more details.
A star in the centre of a rosette.

Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

Five stars in a speech bubble.

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

City buildings next to a tree.

Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

  • You will have the opportunity to gain a critical appreciation of how psychology can be applied to real world questions, cross-cultural and diverse situations across global contexts.
  • Focus on employability: developing transferable, practical and cognitive skills (e.g. critical analysis, problem solving, and leadership), putting you in an excellent position to secure postgraduate education or employment in an increasingly competitive graduate education and job market.
  • Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects enhances international awareness through multi-cultural communication and peer interaction at participating institutions (subject to availability).
  • Opportunities to participate in exciting field trips2 to a range of overseas destinations, which have previously included the United States.
  • If you choose to start this course in January you will study exactly the same course but over a slightly shorter timescale in Year 1. This is ideal if you missed the September start, want to transfer from a different university or course or just need a bit more time to prepare for life at university.
Top 300

in World Rankings for Psychology

Times Higher Education World University Rankings by subject 2022

Accreditation and professional recognition

The degree is accredited1 and recognised by the following bodies:

The British Psychological Society

The British Psychological Society

This course is accredited1 and recognised by the British Psychological Society (BPS). If the accreditation of this course changes, we would seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible. Current accreditation by the British Psychological Society means that as a graduate, provided you achieve at least a 2:2, you will be eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC). Additional costs may apply. Please check with the membership body for details.



What you'll study

This course has a common first year.

The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn. 

If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements). 

Common first year courses:

  • Forensic Psychology BSc (Hons)
  • Psychology BSc (Hons)
  • Sport and Exercise Psychology BSc (Hons)

In the first year, the curriculum is shared across related Psychology courses allowing you to gain a broad grounding of psychological perspectives and research methods before going on, in the second and third years, to specialist modules in your chosen field. 

Modules

In year two, you will aim to develop more advanced knowledge and skills to do with culture, gender and sexuality, cyber psychology, the darker side of psychology, and research, among others. You will also advance in your understanding of research methodologies and experimental research paradigms).  

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement2 can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future. 

If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee3 of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time, you will receive guidance from your employer or partner institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement 

Modules

Year three aims to bring you to the level to enter the world of work by consolidating your knowledge and skills from year one and two. In your final year you will complete an empirical research project, focused on a topic of your choosing, under the supervision of a research-active member of staff. Optional modules* in the final year allow you to tailor your own learning experience to the knowledge and interests you have developed so far.

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


How you'll learn

This course is taught using a mixture of lectures, group seminars and practical, ‘hands-on’ skills workshops. Core course content will be delivered during the lectures, while seminars and workshops offer opportunities for you to explore topics more independently, receive guidance on coursework assignments, begin to apply your knowledge and develop your academic and transferable skills.

You will have the opportunity to take part in the design, conduct and analysis of psychological experiments, and spend time working collaboratively on group projects with other students. In addition, your Professional and Personal Tutor (PPT) will be available for one-to-one bookable meetings throughout every semester (subject to availability) and will review and discuss your progress and continual personal development. Outside of contact time, your personal study hours will be guided by materials posted on your module web pages.

Work experience and field trip opportunities2 are also an integral part of the course. We aim to arrange international field trips each year for students at all levels of our undergraduate Psychology courses2.

If you choose to start this course in January it will be run as a condensed programme. You’ll start your course in January and finish your first year in August. Upon successful completion of Year 1, you will progress onto Year 2 in September and then continue to start subsequent years of your course in September, completing your degree at the same time as the September starters unless you opt to do a placement year.


Teaching contact hours

At Level 4, you will receive a minimum of 12 hours on campus synchronous hours and a minimum of 3 hours of online synchronous hours per week. This delivery pattern is mirrored at Level 5. During Level 6, you will receive a minimum of 9 on-campus hours and 3 online synchronous hours.  Within these contact hours across the levels there will be approximately a minimum of 5 hours lectures and 5 hours of seminars/workshops.

Part of university life is undertaking self-directed learning. During a typical week you will have time that allows you to work independently to apply the skills and knowledge you have learnt in taught or facilitated sessions to your projects or assignment briefs. This self-directed learning allows you to use your research skills, consolidate your knowledge or undertake collaborative group work. You will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study which will vary depending on the demands of individual modules. During Level 4 this is approximately 125 hours per module, Level 5 is approximately 114 hours per module, and 156 hours per module during Level 6.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.


Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods include coursework and phase tests.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.  


International experience opportunities

As well as offering a range of short international field trips, you also have the opportunity to complete the course over four years with a year spent studying abroad2. The university has links with over 20 institutions in Cyprus, France, Malta, Spain, Sweden and Turkey, as well as several other countries around the world. Courses are largely taught in English, but there are opportunities to learn and attend courses in a foreign language. 

You may also have the opportunity to present at international conferences and/or collaborate with students from other institutions within the international arena on specified COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) projects (subject to availability). 

The course is suited to you if you wish to think “outside of the box”, understand the why and how of human behaviours, investigating people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours using psychological theories and methodologies. This understanding is underpinned by an exploration of psychological theory, research and practical skills, such as quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis and interpretation.

Dr Rachael Molitor, Lecturer in Psychology, Coventry University (2022)
student holding up a model of a brain

Entry requirements

Clearing places available on this course

See if you have enough points (UCAS tariff 2024)

Don't know your points total? Work it out
Additional requirements may apply

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

Not got the required grades? We offer this degree with an integrated foundation year.


Fees and funding

2024/25 tuition fees.

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £9,250 per year Not available
EU £9,250 per year with EU Support Bursary**
£18,300 per year without EU Support Bursary**
Not available
International £18,300 per year Not available

If you choose to do a work placement2, you should consider travel and living costs to cover this. There is also a tuition fee3 of £1,250 that will cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our undergraduate finance page and see the University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our international scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
  • Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

Condensed course – January start date

If you choose to start this course in January please make sure you check the Fees and Finance page for more information. Although starting this course in January does not prohibit you from being eligible for student finance, the way it is paid in your first year differs from those who start their course in September.

If you start the course in January, your tuition fees will be paid in accordance with the university’s Tuition Fees, Refund and Withdrawal Terms and Conditions for January starters and for any further years of study, your fees will be paid in accordance with the terms for September starters.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

This course is taught at Coventry University’s main campus.

  • Specialist teaching facilities4 include light and dark multisensory laboratories, ‘mock’ prison cells, an observation suite, counselling rooms which allows you to experience the application of psychology in different contexts.
  • Specialist software, such as Gorilla, Opensesame experiment builder, E-Prime, SPSS statistical analysis, Pinnacle Studio and NVIVO to develop your digital fluency.
  • EEG (electroencephalogram), eye tracking and Virtual Reality Headsets allow you to understand and experience the neuro cognitive aspects of human behaviour in different situations.

Careers and opportunities

Our courses equip you with a range of skills and competencies that could set you apart from other graduates and make you attractive to potential employers (e.g., critical thinking, communication skills, leadership and creativity). In addition, employability skills are embedded within the course and students work to identify those skills and are supported to gain voluntary and professional experience2. This can help to enable you to submit competitive, professional applications and perform well in interview situations. 

The course provides the necessary grounding to enable you to progress and be eligible to undertake further training to become a qualified psychologist pursuing a career in the community, for example, as an occupational, forensic or social psychologist; in mental wellbeing as a clinical or counselling psychologist; in physical wellbeing as a health, sport or neuropsychologist; working with children as a developmental or educational psychologist. 

Our graduates are equipped with highly sought-after employability skills (e.g. transferable skills, analytical thinking, presentation skills) to embark on a career in applied psychological settings (e.g., mental health secure settings, rehabilitation centres); or complete one of our postgraduate degrees. However, the transferable skills you gain from your degree opens several options for career pathways. Our students have also gone on to become researchers, lecturers, teachers, administrators, managers and health and care professionals. 

Where our graduates work

Many of our graduates have gone on to pursue postgraduate study (e.g., MSc, PhD, DClinPsy) and continued their work as practising psychologists (e.g., becoming Clinical, Forensic, Sport, Educational psychologists etc).  Previous graduates have secured employment in applied and research institutions such as St Andrew’s Health Care, Victim Support and the NHS. Other graduates have also been successful in gaining positions as teaching assistants, working in human resources, becoming research assistants and using their digital literacy skills to support in meaningful interventions in hospitals and start-up companies looking for innovative thinking.  

Students who successfully complete their BSc (Hons) Psychology degree with a minimum 2:2 award will normally be eligible for most MSc Applied Psychology programmes at Coventry University (e.g. MSc Forensic Psychology, MSc Health Psychology, MSc Applied Psychology, MSc Business and Organisational Psychology) and other institutions with related courses. 

Graduate Immigration Route visa

Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.


How to apply

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